The Lord of the Whiskers
by Snowprincess Kittykolorz
Summary: The Lord of the Rings in cat version. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! Updated chapter here. Changing a few names, making it a bit better. Will update second chapter soon! This time I will not skip any scenes. STRAIGHT THROUGH THIS TIME.**

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Chapter One: Gacatriel's Prophecy

"The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air… Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it.

"It began with the forging of the Great Whiskers. Three were given to the Self-colored Cats, blessed with eighteen lives, wisest, fairest of all beings. Seven to the Scruffy Cat Lords, great miners and craftcats of the mountain halls. And nine… Nine whiskers were gifted to the race of Tabby Cats who, above all else, desire power. For within these whiskers was bound the strength and will to govern each race. But they were all of them deceived… for another whisker was made.

"In the land of the Litter Box, in the fires of Mount Hairball, the Dark Lord Sourbone forged in secret a Master Whisker to control all others. And into this Whisker he poured his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life. One Whisker to rule them all.

"One by one the Free Lands of Middle-Pelt fell to the power of the Whisker. But there were some who resisted. A last alliance of Tabby Cats and Self-colored Cats marched against the armies of the Litter Box. On the slopes of Mount Hairball they fought for the freedom of Middle-pelt.

"Victory was near!

"But the power of the Whisker could not be undone.

"It was in this moment, when all hope had failed, that Isilfur, the son of the Tomcat, took up his father's sword.

"Sourbone, the enemy of the Free Felines of Middle-pelt, was defeated. The Whisker passed to Isilfur, who had this one chance to destroy evil forever. But the hearts of Tabby Cats are easily corrupted, and the Whisker of Power has a will of its own. It betrayed Isilfur to his death. And some things that should not have been forgotten were lsot.

"History became legend… legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years the Whisker passed out of all knowledge. Until, when chance came, it ensnared a new bearer."

"My Preciousssss…"

"The Whisker came to the creature Growlum, who took it deem into the tunnels of the Meowy Mountains. And there, it consumed him."

"It _came_ to me. My _own_. My _love_. My… _preciousness_."

"The Whisker brought to Growlum unnatural numerous lives. For five hundred years it poisoned his mind. And in the gloom of Growlum's cave… it waited. Darkness crept back into the forests of the world. Rumor of a shadow in the East… whispers of a nameless fear. And the Whisker of Power perceived its time had now come. It abandoned Growlum.

"But something happened then the Whisker did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable…"

"Hm? What's this?"

"A Munchkin Cat… Pawbo Furrins of the Tuna Can."

"Oh! A Whisker."

"Lost! Lost! My Precious is lost!"

"For the time will soon come when Munchkin Cats will shape the fortunes of all."


	2. Chapter 2

**Next chapter is up!**

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_Lord of the Whiskers_

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_Chapter Two - The Journey Begins_

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It is dawn in the Munchkinton fields in the Tuna Can. Shrouded in a white veil of mist, Gandalfur, the Grey Persian Cat, pads along, leading his horse. Furodo and Sam, who are two Munchkin Cats, carrying heavy knapsacks, skitter behind, trying to keep up with the Persian Cat.

"Come along, Samwhisker… keep up!" Gandalfur purrs. Sam stops for a moment and pants for a minute. He can hardly walk anymore with the heavy bag on his back.

A few hours later, Gandalfur leads Furodo and Sam under the cover of the Munchkinton Woods. He pauses and turns around to face the two young Munchkin Cats.

"Be careful, both of you. The Enemy has many spies in his service, many ways of hearing… birds, beasts…" He looks around for a moment, then takes Furodo to one side.

"Is it safe?" he meows in a low voice. Furodo nods, and pats his pocket.

"Never put it on, for then the agents of the Dark Lord will be drawn to its power...Always remember, Furodo, the Whisker is trying to get back to its master...it wants to be found." Gandalfur wheels his horse and gallops away.

Furodo and Sam hike silently over the gentle Tuna Can countryside… wading through a shallow stream, heating a kettle over a small fire, clambering over stone walls. As they walk by a large cornfield, Sam stops short…taking stock of his surroundings. He looks back from where they came.

"This is it," he mews.

"This is what?"

"If I take one more step it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been," Sam seems reluctant. Furodo gives his friend a pat on the shoulder with his tail.

"Come on, Sam," he purrs. Sam takes a deep breath and steps forward. His light brown paw slowly hits the ground, and Furodo smiles at his courage.

"Remember what Pawbo used to say…" he mews, the words of his uncle echoing in his mind.

"It's a dangerous business, Furodo, going out your door… you step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's not knowing where you might be swept off to."

Gandalfur swiftly gallops along the outskirts of the ancient forest of Fangorn, his face unwavering. Nestled in a basin at the foot of the distant Myewy Mountains, the tall black tower of Orthanc is clearly visible. Gandalfur gallops through the gate, into the fortress of Isencat, a great ring-wall of stone, a mile from rim to rim, encloses beautiful trees and gardens, watered by streams that flow down from the mountains. From within the black tower, a deep voice can be heard.

"Smoke rises once more from the mountain of garbage… the shadow takes shape in the darkness of the Junkyard; the hour grows late… and Gandalfur the Grey rides to Isencat seeking my counsel…" The strange tower of Orthanc, hewn from a solid pillar of black obsidian, rises up in the center of the Isencat Circle. Gandalfur's horse skids to a stop at the foot of the Orthanc stairs. Sarucat, the White Persian Cat, gracefully sweeps down the obsidian steps.

"…For that is why you have come, is it not, my old friend?" the Persian Cat meows. Gandalfur moves quickly towards him, ungroomed and weary from his long ride.

"Sarucat!" he purrs, bowing his head. Sarucat smiles; he has missed his friend, the Grey Persian Cat.

End Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's the next chapter! And thanks for the reviews!**

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_The Lord of the Whiskers_

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Chapter 3; The Wrath of the Black Feline Sorcery Squeaky Ball Magic Thing

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Gandalfur, the Grey Persian Cat, and Sarucat, the White Persian Cat, pad slowly between the beautiful trees of Isencat. Sarucat's clean, white fur and cloak highly contrasts with Gandalfur's dusty grey fur and cloak.

"Are you sure of this?" Sarucat mews.

"Beyond any doubt."

"So the Whisker of Power has been found?"

"All these long years it was in the Tuna Can, under my very nose." Gandalfur's voice seems very ominous, as if the world was about to end, at his own paws.

"And yet you did not have the wit to see it!" Sarucat snorts. "Your love of the Halfling's leaf has clearly slowed your mind."

"We still have time…time enough to counter Sourbone… if we act quickly," Gandalfur points out.

"Time? What time do you think we have?" Sarucat sniffs. Gandalfur sighs. It seems as if his old friend sees no hope in this state of affairs. But he says nothing as the two Persian Cats enter Orthanc and seat themselves in a small, cluttered room to the side of the cavernous central chamber.

"Sourbone has regained much of his former strength. He cannot yet take physical form…but his spirit has lost none of its potency. Concealed within his fortress, the lord of the Junkyard sees all. His gaze pierces cloud, shadow, earth, and flesh," Sarucat meows quietly. Gandalfur's ear twitches uneasily.

"You know of what I speak, Gandalfur… a great Eye, lidless, wreathed in flame."

"The Eye of Sourbone," Gandalfur mews softly.

"He is gathering all evil to him. Very soon he will have summoned an army great enough to launch an assault upon Middle-Pelt."

"You know this?" Gandalfur asks disbelievingly. "How?"

"I have seen it." Both felines stride through Orthanc toward a stone pedestal on which a sphere-like shape is draped with a cloth… Gandalfur's whiskers begin to convulse as Sarucat lifts the cloth.

"What is that?" he mews.

"Oh, it's a… black…feline…sorcery…squeaky ball magic…thing…"

"The Black Feline Sorcery Squeaky Ball Magic Thing is a dangerous tool," Gandalfur says. "Why? Why should we fear to use it?" Sarucat mews.

"They are not all accounted for, the lost seeing-squeaky toys… we do not know who else may be watching!" Gandalfur whispers loudly, and throws the cloth back over the Black Squeaky toy. In his mind, a flash of Sourbone's eye blazes. Gandalfur quickly removes his paw. Sarucat pads over to his black throne and sits upon it.

"The hour is later than you think. Sourbone's forces are already moving… the Nine have left Minas Morgul." Gandalfur's eyes grow large with shock.

"The Nine!"

"They crossed the river Isen in a Midsummer's eve, disguised as riders in black."

"They have reached the Tuna Can?" Gandalfur meows alarmingly. Sarucat shrugs his white furry shoulders.

"They will find the Whisker, and kill the one who carries it." Sarucat's eyes narrow at Gandalfur. The old grey Persian Cat gasps and rushes to the door, horrified as the doors suddenly slam shut.

"You did not seriously think a Munchkin could contend with the will of Sourbone? There are none who can." Gandalfur slowly turns to Sarucat, a look of dawning horror on his face.

"Against the power of the Junkyard, there can be no victory," Sarucat says, so deeply it is almost a growl or a hiss. "We must join with him, Gandalfur. We _must_ join with Sourbone. It would be wise, my friend."

"Tell me,_ friend_, when did Sarucat the wise abandon reason for madness?" Gandalfur mews lethally. At that moment, Gandalfur is shocked to be blasted across the room. He slams against the wall, pinned to the black obsidian by some unseen force. With sudden effort, Gandalfur wrenches himself off the wall and swings his staff on Sarucat, blasting him completely off his paws. Gandalfur and Sarucat, once friends, battle against each other, powerful blasts throwing them across the room. Sarucat yowls, eyes blazing. Gandalfur's staff is suddenly wrenched from his grasp, and it flies across the chamber into Sarucat's paw. Gandalfur is flung to the floor, and he groans.

"I gave you the chance of aiding me willingly…" Sarucat growls. Gandalfur is breathing hard on the floor, and his eyes look into the madness of Sarucat, who now commands two staffs. He lunges forward, sending the helpless gray Persian Cat into a sickening spin.

"…but you have elected the way of pain!" Sarucat finally yowls, propelling Gandalfur into a tumble towards the top of the chamber, as if falling in reverse. In his eyes, the roof of Orthanc begins to grow larger and larger, until…

…it goes black.

End Chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's the next chapter, and thanks so much for the reviews!**

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_The Lord of the Whiskers_

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Chapter 4 - The Two Troublemakers

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Furodo and Sam quietly walk along a country lane which borders Farmer Maggot's fields. Sam looks up, but Furodo has disappeared around a corner in the lane. The light brown ball of fur begins to panic.

"Mr. Furodo? Mr. Furodo!" Not too far away, Furodo turns, surprised as Sam comes bounding towards him. Sam pants hard.

"I thought I lost you!" Furodo looks at Sam curiously. Sam glances down, embarrassed.

"What are you talking about?" Furodo teases.

"It's just something Gandalfur said…" Sam mumbles, almost to himself.

"What did he say?" Sam looks at Furodo intently.

"He said…"Don't you leave him, Samwhisker Gamgee." And I don't mean to."

"Sam we're still in the Tuna Can!" Furodo laughs. "…What could possibly happen?" A figure suddenly comes crashing out of a hedgerow, sending Furodo flying through the air. He picks himself up, only to be knocked back down again by another cat, particularly a Munchkin Cat.

"Oh! Furodo! Furry, it's Furodo Furrins!" says a mischievous-sounding Munchkin Cat named Pawpin.

"Why, Hello, Furodo!" says an equally mischievous Munchkin Cat named Furry. Pawpin, Furodo, and Furry pick themselves up, and Furodo is surprised to see a variety of vegetables scattered everywhere.

"What's the meaning of this?" Sam yells.

"Sam, hold this," Furry says quickly, handing a very confused Sam a large cabbage.

"You've been into Farmer Maggot's crop!" he accuses. All four Munchkin Cats are horrified to see a pitchfork racing towards them along the hedgerow and to hear the angry yowls from Farmer Maggot.

"Who's that in my field? Get out of it! Get out of my field, you young varmints! I'll show you!... get out of my corn!" Furry and Pawpin hurriedly gather their booty and race away, with Furodo and Sam on their heels.

"I don't know why he's so upset… it's only a couple of carrots," Furry meows, looking behind him.

"And some cabbages…" Pawpin points out. "…and those three bags of potatoes that we lifted last week. And then the mushrooms from the week before!"

"Yes, Pawpin, my point is, he's clearly overreacting!" The Munchkin Cats begin to run faster as the baying of large dogs begin to be heard.

"Run!" yells Pawpin. He skids to a stop at a drop in the forest. The other three slide behind him. All four try to balance, but they all tumble head over heels down a bank, onto a dark, wooded road.

"Ooh! That was close," a very winded Pawpin says from the bottom of the heap, his face inches away from a large pile of horse droppings. Furodo picks himself up and looks around quickly.

"Ow…I think I've broken something…" Furry groans. He pulls out a large carrot, almost broken through the middle, from below his back. "Oh."

"Trust a Brandybuck and a Took," Sam says sarcastically, turning on Furry and Pawpin.

"What? That was just a detour. A shortcut!" Furry mentions.

"A shortcut to what?" Sam asks. There is a moment of silence, but then Pawpin spies something under the trees on the far side of the road.

"Mushrooms!" He mews excitedly. Sam, Furry, and Pawpin race towards the brown mushrooms growing amongst the loamy undergrowth. Furodo is tense and watchful as he recognizes that they are on a wooded road. Scattered leaves rise into the air, whirling down the road, as if blown by an invisible wind. Furodo's ears twitch restlessly as he hears the sound of horses approaching, and fast.

"I think we should get off the road," he meows quietly. But the other three Munchkin Cats pay no mind, and keep yanking at the mushrooms in the ground. A long drawn wail comes down the wind, like the cry of some evil and lonely creature.

"Get off the road!" he whispers, this time with more urgency in his voice. His eyes are wide with fear. Sam grabs Furry and Pawpin as the Munchkin Cats quickly scramble down the bank, hiding under a mossy log. The sound of hooves is close. A sinister mounted Whiskerwraith steps into view, hooded and faceless, mounted on a huge snarling black horse with insane eyes. Furodo freezes in terror. The Whiskerwraith pauses right beside their hiding place, and he sits very still with his head bowed, listening. From inside the hood comes a sniffing noise, as if he is trying to catch an elusive scent, his head turning from side to side. Beads of sweat gather on Furodo's head, dripping of his whiskers. The Whiskerwraith suddenly slides off his horse, leaning over the mossy log, peering suspiciously into the woods.

Furodo silently draws the Whisker out of his pocket, with trembling paws. His face is fevered and sweating, as if in the grip of some internal struggle. The sound of sniffing intensifies as the Whiskerwraith darts his head from side to side like a bird of prey. Furodo squeezes his eyes shut… seeing an evil dark tower, a great flaming eye, bursting in fire. Sam looks at Furodo with concern.

"Furodo?" The Whiskerwraith is about to reach for the young Munchkin Cats… but Furry desperately grabs the cabbage Sam is holding and hurls it across the road. The Whiskerwraith spins around at the sound, and darts to the far side of the road with frightening speed. Furodo instantly slumps, as if a psychic link had been broken.

"What was that?" Furry asks worriedly. Furodo is staring, a look of shock on his face, at the Whisker lying in the palm of his paw.

The four Munchkins now hurry through the trees, slipping and sliding on the muddy ground.

"Anything?" Sam asks his dark-furred friend, holding the Whisker.

"Nothing."

"What is going on?" Pawpin asks, even though he knew he wouldn't get an answer. Furry moves past Pawpin, toward Furodo, watching intently. Sam keeps looking around nervously.

"The black rider was looking for something…or someone…Furodo?" Furry asks.

"Get down!" Sam suddenly whispers loudly. The silhouette of a black rider looms against the skyline. The four Munchkins, sprawled on the ground, hold their breath. The black rider turns and departs.

"I have to leave the Tuna Can… Sam and I must get to Bree," Furodo whispers ever so quietly. Furry looks at his friend, realizing Furodo is in deep trouble.

"Right…Buckleberry Ferry… follow me!"

The four Munchkins break for cover. Suddenly, a Whiskerwraith bursts out of the forest towards them.

"There's another one!" Furry yowls. "Furodo, this way!" The Munchkins bound away, and the Whiskerwraith shrieks, filling the air with its shrill voice.

It is night at Buckleberry Ferry, and Furodo, Sam, Furry, and Pawpin are running towards the wide, placid Brandywine river… and the ferry.

"Get the ropes, Sam," Furry mews. Four Whiskerwraiths are speeding through the fog, converging on the ferry crossing. The Munchkins stampede across the wharf and tumble onto the ferry.

"Furodo!" Sam screams. Furodo races across the wooden wharf, followed by the Whiskerwraiths. He leaps onto the Ferry. Sam and Furry shove off with the poles, and the ferry slides out into the river, just as the Whiskerwraiths arrive. They pull up on the end of the wharf, shrieking with rage. The Munchkins cover their ears. The Whiskerwraiths wheel their horses towards the north and Gallop away along the river bank, quickly disappearing into the fog.

"How far to the nearest crossing?" Furodo mews.

"The Brandywine Bridge…twenty miles," Furry purrs, knowing that there's still a chance to get to Bree safely.

End Chapter 4


	5. Chapter 5

**Coming soon; a teen girl named Shika gets in a car crash and mysteriously awakens in Middle-earth. When she realizes that she has powers with fire, she finds that her destiny is linked to this world in a way she never imagined. LegolasxOC. Mary-sue alert.**

**Interested? Subscribe to my stories and stay tuned for "FireDancers - Embers' Dawn"  
**

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_The Lord of the Whiskers_

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Chapter 5; Bree

The lights of Bree illuminate the sky...a small village of stone and half timbered houses nestled against a low wooded hill. A thick hedge surrounds the village, and a great gate bars the western entrance. Furodo, Sam, Furry, and Pawpin approach the gatehouse, wild-eyed, ragged, and out of breath.

"Come on," Furodo whispers, and the four Munchkins skitter across the muddy road towards the gatehouse. They stop, and a surly gatekeeper glances down at them.

"What do you want?" he growls.

"We're headed for the Prancing Kitty." The gatekeeper swings his lantern onto the Munchkins, bathing them in an uncomfortable yellow spotlight.

"Munchkins! Four Munchkins, and what's more, out of the Tuna Can by your talk. What business brings you to Bree?" the obviously cranky feline snarls at them.

"We wish to stay at the inn," Furodo mews, unfazed by the gatekeeper's attitude. "Our business is our own." To Furodo's relief, the gatekeeper unlocks the gate.

"All right, young sir, I meant no offense." The Munchkins gratefully enter Bree, the gatekeeper eyeing them curiously in the lantern light.

"It's my job to ask questions after nightfall. There's talk of strange fold abroad…can't be too careful." Furodo understood.

As the four Munchkins make their way through the narrow streets, the tall folk of Bree loom over the nervous little Munchkins, looking at them curiously. Tall buildings tower above them, and lights glow dimly from behind thick curtains. Furodo sighs happily as he sees the sign of the "Prancing Kitty Inn". Furodo, Sam, Furry, and Pawpin hurry toward it. They rush inside, out of the cold night.

"Excuse me…" Furodo mews, attracting the innkeeper's attention.

"Mm? Oh, good evening, little masters. If you're seeking accommodation, we've got some nice, cozy Munchkin sized rooms available, Mr. … ah…"

"Underhill," Furodo meows quickly. "…My name's Underhill."

"Underhill? Hmmmm."

"We're friends of Gandalfur the Grey Persian. Can you tell him we've arrived?" The innkeeper frowns. He seems very puzzled.

"Gandalfur…Gandalfur…Oh!" he mews, gaining recognition. "Oh yes! I remember… elderly chap…thick grey fur, pointy hat?" Furodo nods with relief, but the innkeeper shakes his head.

"…not seen him for six months." Furodo is shocked. He said he would be here…

"What do we do now?" Sam asks in a worried whisper.

The inn is dimly lit, chiefly from a blazing log fire, and crowded with a mixture of big folk, local Munchkins, and a couple of Scruffy Cats. Furodo, Sam, Furry, and Pawpin quietly sit at a table against the wall, clearly trying to remain silent and inconspicuous. Sam can't help himself, and he keeps casting nervous glances around.

"Sam, he'll be here," Furodo purrs reassuringly. "He'll come." Furry ploinks himself down at the table, carrying a very large saucer of creamy milk in his mouth. He keeps it from spilling with his tail.

"What's that?" Pawpin asks, staring at the saucer.

"This, my friend, is a pint," Furry mews back. He looks at his confectionary drink and licks his lips.

"No, it's not," a shabby old Tabby cat said from behind Furry. "It's human breastmilk."

All four cats stared wide-eyed down at Furry's saucer. Furry thought he was going to be queasy.

A couple of swarthy Tabby Cats lean against the bar and glance at Furodo. Once he notices, they quickly look away.

"That fellow's done nothing but stare at you since we've arrived," Sam whispers tensely. He points his tail at a brooding stranger who sits alone at a table in the far corner, smoking a curiously carved long-stemmed pipe, peering from beneath a travel-stained cowl with gleaming orange eyes. Furodo gestures to the innkeeper and mews,

"Excuse me, that Tabby Cat in the corner… who is he?"

"He's one of them Rangers. They're dangerous folk they are, wandering the wilds. What his right name is, I never heard, but round here…he's known as Stripurr." The innkeeper pads away, leaving Furodo thinking to himself.

"Stripurr…" he mews to himself. Beneath the table, Furodo's paw nervously toys with the Whisker. Sweat runs down his brow, and he hears the strange hum of the Whisker in his mind. A sinister whisper seems to fill his head, saying all the time,

"Furrins…Furrins…", a voice that dissolves into Pawpin's loud meows:

"Furrins? Sure, I know a Furrins… he's over there!" The young Munchkin Cat is sitting at the bar, chatting with the locals. Furodo leaps to his paws and pushes his way towards the bar.

"Furodo Furrins," Pawpin continues to noisily meow. "He's my second cousin once removed, on his mother's side and my third cousin twice removed on his father's side…if you follow me." Furodo grabs Pawpin's sleeve with his teeth, spilling his beer.

"Pawpin!" he nervously whispers, trying to get him to shut up.

"Steady on, Furodo!" Pawpin mews, pushing him away. Obviously he is getting a little tipsy from all the beer he consumed. Furodo stumbles backwards, and falls to the floor. At that instant, the inn goes silent and all the attention turns to Furodo. To his horror, the Whisker, flying in the air, seems to slow down as he holds out his paw to catch it. As the gold band curls itself around his paw, he simply vanishes. There is a sharp intake of breath from the locals, followed by total silence.

The Whiskerwraiths turn sharply in their saddles, instantly aware that the Whisker is being worn. They spur their horses and charge towards the distant lights of Bree.

Sam looks sick. Pawpin instantly sobers, realizing his folly. The Brooding Stranger's whiskers twitch, and the inn erupts into an excited babble.

Furodo opens his eyes, and he finds himself in the Twilight World of the Whisker. The excited crowd are suddenly moving in slow motion, distorted voices, and an odd pictorial negative quality. Furodo is the only one moving in real time, against the slow motion background. He suddenly clutches his head as he is hit with images in his mind… the great flaming eye of an evil cat-like eye wreathed in flames. The voice of Sourbone echoes in the emptiness of the Twilight World.

"There is no life here in the void. Only cold…only death." Furodo is terrified. He rolls under a table, and desperately pulls the Whisker from his paw with his teeth. He gasps as he materializes into the real world. At that moment, a large paw reaches under the table and grabs Furodo by the baggy skin on his neck, and drags him away. He is roughly pushed against a wall, and the Brooding Stranger looms over him.

"You draw far too much attention to yourself… Mr. Underhill," he mews, and pushes Furodo up the stairs without another word.

End Chapter 5


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, readers! Sorry I haven't updated in a while; I was at camp for a week.**

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_The Lord of the Whiskers_

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Chapter 6; Stripurr the Northern Ranger

Furodo is forcefully shoved into the Munchkin Cats' room by the mysterious Tabby Cat, Stripurr.

"What do you want?" Furodo demands, gathering the last of his courage. He slowly pulls out his claws, even though it leaves Stripurr unfazed.

"A little more caution from you…That is no trinket you carry."

"I carry nothing," Furodo lies.

"Indeed?" Stripurr mews wittingly, stepping into the room and shutting the door. "I can usually avoid being seen if I wish, but to disappear entirely…" he removes his hood, revealing a dark brown, black, and white Tabby Cat.

"…that is a rare gift."

"Who are you?" Furodo mumbles.

"Are you frightened?"

"Yes."

"Not nearly frightened enough. I know what hunts you." Stripurr's eyes flash as there is a noise in the corridor. Furodo jumps, and the fur on his back begins to stand up. Stripurr deftly draws his sword with his tail.

The door bursts open and Sam, Furry, and Pawpin appear in the doorway. Sam is squaring off with his claws and teeth, Furry clutches a candlestick, and Pawpin holds a small chair.

"Let him go or I'll have you, Longshanks!" Sam growls angrily. Stripurr sheaths his sword, and a slight smile plays on his lips.

"You have a stout heart, little Munchkin, but that alone won't save you. You can no longer wait for the Persian, Furodo. They're coming."

The gatekeeper comes out of his lodgings with a lantern in his tail, and a look of fear on his face. He approaches the closed gate with great apprehension. Trembling, he peers out of the peephole. He screams.

The gate crashes down on the gatekeeper, and four Whiskerwraiths ride into Bree. They fly down the empty streets, like horsemen of the apocalypse.

The front door of the inn flies open, and the four Whiskerwraiths rush into the Prancing Kitty with wicked swords drawn. The innkeeper, helpless against the intruders, hides behind the bar, trembling and sweating in terror.

Completely unaware of the danger outside, the four Munchkin Cats sleep peacefully on their beds. Furry is snoring softly, and Pawpin slightly stirs, then settles back to sleep. The door creaks open, and the four Whiskerwraiths silently slide into the Munchkin Cats' room. They loom above each bed, raising their shining swords above the sleeping Munchkin Cats. Sam's eyes open wide in shock, and in unison, the Whiskerwraiths stab the Munchkin Cats, in a slashing, hacking frenzy.

Stripurr grimly listens to sounds from his room, face expressionless and ears twitching.

The Whiskerwraiths step back from the slashed beds in triumph in silence. A hacked blanket is pulled back, only to reveal nothing but a shredded pillow. The Whiskerwraiths shriek with rage.

Sam sits up with a start, and Pawpin and Furry quickly wake up.

Furry, Sam, and Pawpin have been sleeping on Stripurr's bed. Furodo stands next to Stripurr by the window, peering out nervously as furious Whiskerwraiths screeches echo across the courtyard from the Munchkin Cats' room.

"Who are they?" Furodo mews softly.

"They were once Tabbies," the dark-furred ranger whispers. Stipurr glances quickly at Furodo, then looks away.

"Great Kings of Tabbies… Then Sourbone the Deceiver gave to them Nine Whiskers of Power. Blinded by their greed they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness. And now they are slaves to his will." Stripurr looks from the window as the Whiskerwraiths gallop down the empty streets of Bree. He turns back to the Munchkin Cats, his face lit faintly by the glowing embers of the fireplace.

"They are the Nazgul, Whiskerwraiths, neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the Whisker, drawn to the power of the One. They will never stop hunting you." Furodo nods in silence, but he is very frightened at this. If they will never stop hunting him, how can he possibly get to Purrendell in time?

End Chapter 6


	7. Chapter 7

**Here's the next chapter! Sorry so much for the long break; had things to do and chores are being a butt. My next fanfiction is coming up! Stay tuned for _FireDancers; Embers' Dawn_!**

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_The Lord of the Whiskers_

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Chapter 7; Elsewhere

Sarucat, the once-good-now-evil White Persian Cat, stands over the Black Feline Sorcery Squeaky Ball Magic Thing, his paws cupping over the massive eye.

"The power of Isencat is at your command, Sourbone, Lord of the Earth," he whispers, so quietly it is almost to himself. He is almost filled with fear as dark moaning fills the air. Amidst the harsh, guttural words, the voice of Sarucat emerges.

"Build me an army worth of the Junkyard."

Sarucat seats himself on his throne, obviously ended with the tête-à-tête with Sourbone. His Stray Overseer approaches. He bows his head and slips his crooked, shabby tail between his hind legs.

"What orders from the Junkyard, my Lord?" he murmurs humbly. "What does the Eye command?" Sarucat pauses, then rises from his throne and takes his staff in his tail.

"We have work to do."

Gandalfur, unaccompanied completely, lies unconscious on a cold obsidian floor. His ears twitch, and he wakes to the sound of ripping and tearing. Sitting on his hind paws, his tail curled in front of his front paws, he quickly grooms his face. He looks around, and he is stunned to see himself stranded on the summit of Orthanc. He is marooned on the tiny, flat peak, surrounded on all sides by a sheer five hundred foot drop. Another whispering wail rends the air. The shabby-looking gray Persian Cat crosses quickly to the edge and peers down. He gasps in horror and lifts his paw to his mouth.

One of the beautiful Isencat trees is being ripped from the ground by the Strays. He looks on in terror as Strays hack into the trunk with axes. He slumps down on the black obsidian, realizing that he is helpless to stop them.

Sarucat, looking out into the dark night, stands in the gentle rain, which seems to bring hope to the imprisoned gray Persian Cat on top of Orthanc. The Stray overseer sidles over to him, axe in paw, sweating with extertion.

"The trees are strong, my Lord. Their roots go deep," he pants.

"Rip them all down," Sarucat meows darkly. The overseer snickers evilly and slides away. More and more trees are being hauled down and killed… as Gandalfur looks on in helpless despair. He rests his furry gray head on his front paws and curls his tail on top of his face. The rain has stopped, but he is damp and cold. The only company he has on the top of the tower is the stars, which peek from under a cloud that will soon disappear. Gandalfur feels lonelier than he has ever felt in his life.

The tower of Isencat glooms in the moonlight. A single sparrow flies over and stops for a rest on top of the Isencat wall. He looks, and he sees once beautiful gardens that are now a pitted wasteland, with smoke and fire billowing out. His black beady eyes close for a moment, and he sings a song of mourning for his fellow member of nature.

Strange guttural chants echo up from deep underground, from numerous tunnels and vent holes that litter the forecourt of Orthanc. On top of the tower, a single moth flutters by, like a bright yellow squeaky toy among black ones. It seems to glow as it flies near Gandalfur, who lies slumped against the wall at the very top of Orthanc. He looks weak and frail, and is seemingly asleep. The little moth flutters close to him, and his paws suddenly snap out at lightning speed, snatching to moth. He brings his paws close to his face and opens them. The moth sits in the center of his paws as he softly mews strange words in a foreign tongue. The moth looks at the shabby old cat, on the face of it, listening. Gandalfur watches and almost smiles as the moth suddenly flutters away. It flies on, looking down at the rutted inhospitable surroundings, and stares straight into a fiery red tunnel.

It is night in the caverns of Isencat. The dead trees are fed into roaring furnaces, and molten metal pours into casts. Red hot metal is beaten by sweating Stray blacksmiths. Armor and weapons are forged from the great furnaces. Sarucat strides among the Strays and stands looking on a new born Furuk-hai as it escapes its birthing membrane. This is Furtz, who rises up to stand before his master. Sarucat smiles, pleased with his new underling.

End Chapter 7


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you so much for your reviews! And to the one reader who made a fan art for this story and got it onto Wall Street Journal, I give you a huge thank you! I hope that this will be illustrated and published someday, and maybe even become a CGI animated movie (or movieS, I don't know). Thank you everyone! ;P**

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_The Lord of the Whiskers_

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Chapter 8; A Few Days in Purrendell

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A bright light suddenly flares in Furodo's eyes. He squeezes them shut, gasping. His fur begins to stand on end.

"Where am I?" he whimpers, evidently very frightened. A voice, familiar to Furodo, cuts through the swirl of sound.

"You are in the house of Elrump, and it is ten o'clock in the morning on October the twenty-fourth, if you want to know." The voice is so recognizable... low, aged, and slightly comical. Furodo should surely know this voice!

Furodo's eyes flicker open. He is curled up on a soft, luxurious cat bed next to an open window. Dappled sunlight plays on richly carved timbers, and the sound of a nearby waterfall drifts through the vista of fir trees. The young Munchkin cat looks up to see an long-furred gray Persian cat, softly puffing his pipe, which he holds in the tip of his tail.

"Gandalfur!" Furodo mews in weak relief. Gandalfur smiles kindly.

"Yes, I'm here. And you're lucky to be here, too. A few more hours and you would have been beyond our aid. You have some strength in you, my dear Munchkin." Furodo pulls himself to his paws, having a good, long stretch before sitting on his hind legs. He curls his tail around his front paws and looks at Gandalfur questioningly.

"What happened, Gandalfur?" he meows. "Why didn't you meet us?"

"I'm sorry, Furodo," the Persian cat confesses. "I was delayed."

Sarucat stands proudly over Gandalfur, and gloats. The shabby gray Persian yowls in pain.

"Get up! So much for the power of the Whisker or embrace your own destruction!" Sarucat hisses. With the power of his staff, Sarucat raises Gandalfur from the ground, then sends him crashing to the floor. He yowls again in greater pain.

"There is only one Lord of the Whisker..." Gandalfur whispers, forcing himself to stay strong. "Only one who can bend it to his will... and he does not share power." Suddenly, Gandalfur lurches to his paws and throws himself off the tower, as if to rid himself of this living hell. Sarucat watches Gandalfur fly away from Isencat... on the back of a giant Eagle.

"So you have chosen death," the White Persian hisses silently, chills filling the air with his voice. He continues to watch as Gwaihir the Eagle soars majestically over the mountains, carrying Gandalfur towards the first rays of dawn.

"Gandalfur! What is it?" Furodo mews, staring into the Persian's blue-gray eyes. Gandalfur snaps out of his memory and returns his attention to Furodo.

"Nothing, Furodo..." he says in a faraway voice, as if he is still remembering that night.

Both of the cats almost jump out of their fur as Samwhisker bursts into the room and bounds to Furodo's cat bedside. He is overjoyed, and Furodo can almost see the first glimpses of tears in his eyes.

"Furodo! Furodo! Bless you, you're awake!" he meows happily, rubbing his side on Furodo's side, as all felines do in greeting.

"Sam has hardly left your side," Gandalfur says, watching the two.

"We were worried about you- weren't we, Mr. Gandalfur?" Sam meows. Gandalfur nods.

"By the skills of Lord Elrump, you're beginning to mend." At the moment that the Persian mews this, Elrump, the Lord of the High Self-colored, steps up to Furodo's bedside. His face is neither old nor young, though in it is written the memory of many things both glad and sorrowful.

"Welcome to Purrendell, Furodo Furrins," he meows softly. Furodo's tail twitches, and he looks at Elrump in awe.

It is day in Purrendell, a small cluster of elegant Self-colored buildings sitting in a Shangri-la like valley below towering cliffs and snow capped mountains. Quite a beautiful place to live, actually.

"You have found your way to the last homely house east of the sea. The Self-colored of Imladris have dwelt within this valley for three thousand years, though few of my kin now remain," Elrump meows, his voice filling the air like mist. Furodo looks out from the balcony of his bedroom, a faraway look in his deep blue eyes.

Not too long later, Furodo and Sam pad together on the beautiful stone halls. Suddenly, the voices of Furry and Pawpin are heard as they bound up to Furodo and throw their paws around him.

"Furodo! Furodo!" Furry mews excitedly. After the excitement of meeting him again, Sam looks past Furodo, smiling. Furodo turns, following Sam's gaze, and sees a bent figure, sitting alone on a bench in the warm late morning sun. His eyes suddenly fill with joy and tears as he realizes who the figure is.

"Pawbo!" he exclaims, rushing towards his uncle. Pawbo Furrins breaks into a broad grin and holds out his paws to embrace his nephew. Pawbo has aged significantly since we last saw him; his fur is shabbier, his whiskers droop more, and his body is so much more frail.

"Hello, Furodo, my lad!" he mews kindly. Furodo continues to say his uncle's name over and over again, rubbing the side of his head on Pawbo's body.

Later, Furodo is turning the neatly inscribed title page of a red leather bound journal:

"'There and Back Again: a Munchkin's Tale" by Pawbo Furrins," he reads. Pawbo smiles proudly. He is sitting with Furodo on a terrace overlooking a waterfall. Furodo looks at page after page of beautiful pawwriting, with intricate maps and drawings of the places he visited on his adventures.

"This is wonderful..." Furodo says distantly, as if he is going on the adventure by simply reading it.

"I meant to go back..." Pawbo mews. "...wander the paths of Mirkwood, visit Laketown, see the Lonely Mountain again... but age, it seems, has finally caught up with me." Furodo turns a page. There before him is a map of the Tuna Can. All of a sudden, the young Munchkin feels very homesick.

"I miss the Tuna Can... I spent all my childhood pretending I was off somewhere else... off with you, on one of your adventures..." He looks at Pawbo, and the old Munchkin knows that he feels all wistful inside. "...But my own adventure... turned out to be quite different," he mews. "I'm not like you, Pawbo."

"My dear boy..." Pawbo whispers, staring into Furodo's eyes sympathetically, understanding his melancholia.

Sam busily tries to stuff more things into his already full and overflowing pack... pots and pans, blankets, cooking utensils, provisions, clothes.

"No, what have I forgotten?" he mumbles to himself.

"Packed already?" Sam looks up, startled, and sees Furodo watching him silently, his face calm and expressionless.

"No harm in being prepared," Sam says. Furodo quietly strolls over to the edge of the balcony.

"I thought you wanted to see the Self-colored, Sam?"

"I do..."

"More than anything?"

"I did. It's just... we did what Gandalfur wanted, didn't we? We got the Whisker this far, to Purrendell... and I thought... seeing as how you're on the mend, we'd be off soon. Off home." Furodo thinks about this for a minute. Home... right now, Furodo wants to go home more than he wants to see the Self-colored. He's tired of this adventure... he just wants to go home.

"You're right, Sam." Furodo looks up at his friend. "...We did what we set out to do." He opens his paw, and the Whisker sits in its center.

"The Whisker will be safe in Purrendell. I am ready to go home."

End Chapter 8


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